Why Trust You (Trash, 1989)

Released in 1989, the Trash LP is Alice’s eleventh solo studio album. Teaming up with Desmond Child, an instant classic was delivered.

Trash reached #20 on the US Billboard 200 and #2 in the UK. The album also delivered Cooper’s first top ten hit (“Poison”) since “You and Me,” the hit single found on the Lace and Whiskey LP (1977).

Desmond Child is considered a “hit-maker” in the music industry. Some fans didn’t embrace Alice’s new direction and style initially, but it’s obvious the move was a good one. A move that placed Alice Cooper among other multi-platinum bands at the time.

“I didn’t want to paint myself into a corner with blood, ’cause I think if I would have done another album like that, people would have said, ‘Well, that’s all Alice can do anymore–just horror.’ I wanted to show a different side…I really wanted to write songs, like we did on ‘Billion Dollar Babies’, and Desmond is such a great songwriter that it was very easy. We wrote 22 songs and had to narrow it down to 10.” – Alice Cooper

While “Poison” is the most notable track on the album, the LP is filled with a list of hard-hitting songs and high-profile guest artists (such as Steven Tyler, Jon Bon Jovi, and more).

Songs like “House of Fire,” “Only My Heart Talkin’,” “Bed of Nails,” and “Hell Is Living Without You” are other highlights found on the record.

This week’s post focuses on “Why Trust You.” Simply put, the track discusses untrustworthiness and the web of lies spun by anyone willing to control or misinform others. It could refer to friends, family, co-workers, religious figures, the government, etc. – anyone willing to mislead others fits the bill.

In the lyrics to “Why Trust You,” Alice finds a clever way to shed light on a difficult subject, Trust.

You come on strong with a great big smile
But your teeth are as sharp as a crocodile
You promised me the moon and the stars and the sun
But you never did nothin’ for anyone
Can’t look me in the face or straight in the eye
I’d buy the movie rights to your alibi
I wonder how low you will go
I wonder how high your head will blow
You’re a psychopathic liar
Your soul is on fire

Why trust you
You never made a dream come true
Why trust you
Give me one good reason, one good reason why

Well, you come to me all teary-eyed
With your big tall tale way up in the sky
Begging on your knees for another chance
But everybody knows that’s a song and a dance
Yeah, there used to be a time when you were the best
You had the fastest tongue in the west
Ya gave a look and a line like nobody else
You’d try to sell the Bible to the Devil himself
You sadistic little liar

Let’s face it, humanity, as a whole, is pretty gullible. We trust almost everything we see or hear from social media, television, books, movies, etc., which isn’t a horrible thing on its own. However, without proper discernment and wisdom, it’s a detriment to our freedom and survival.

God has bestowed upon us the ability to determine facts from falsehoods, light from dark – good from evil. Only some people are telling us the truth. Therefore, our due diligence requires us to seek Him when life presents us with puzzles and problems – the things that don’t add up.

“Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.” – Romans 1:21-25

As life plays out, we often become distracted by money, power, comfort, etc. We are told (and often believe) that material possession and meaningless pleasures are the paths to fulfillment. These lies continually bombard us, forcing us to choose between Him or them.

If we are not careful, our selfish plans become created “gods” that we idolize and worship. We must learn to lean on Him for understanding and wisdom as we trailblaze through life, seeking answers and meaning. We must rely on Him to connect the dots and help us place the pieces together.

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. – Psalm 1:1-6

We notice in the 1st Psalm that those who delight in the Lord find prosperity and bear fruit – season after season. It’s not through some self-righteous declaration of knowing Him or placing oneself above others.

Instead, it is found by placing complete trust in Him and acknowledging that He is the highest authority – our Creator and Heavenly Father.

By creation, we were designed to seek Him – to worship Him. We know and trust that God works for good (Romans 8:28) and that the hope given to us through the Holy Spirit fills us with joy and peace as we trust Him and His Word (Romans 15:13).

Wrapping this up, it’s relatively simple. We trust in Him and Him alone. That doesn’t mean we negate or ignore the advice of others. It means we research and know the truth and rely on Him for the answers. Always be willing to go that extra step in search of the truth – seek and verify.

8    It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
9    It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10  All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11  They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12  They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13  I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
14  The Lord is my strength and my defense;
He has become my salvation. – Psalm 118:8-14

We are responsible for our actions, beliefs, and behavior. Trusting others and allowing them to sway us into detrimental situations only leaves us to blame. We have access to Him and His Word, through which our senses become equipped to discern Good from evil (Hebrews 5:14).

Through time with Him, practicing our faith, and learning more about His nature, we find that His Spirit can and will guide us on our journey. Let us learn to recognize and know Him. When things don’t seem right, let us learn to trust our gut – to TRUST in Him.

In conclusion, the Trash LP is a vital album in Alice’s discography. While Constrictor and Raise Your Fist and Yell had laid the groundwork for Alice’s comeback, the Trash LP launched him back into the limelight.

Interestingly enough, even with Trash’s success, it’s labeled as a love/hate record by many lifelong fans of Alice. Yet, it cannot be overlooked that Trash introduced a new generation to Alice Cooper.

Whether you love or hate the LP, it brought a new group of fans into the fold and merged them with fans from the past, expanding Alice’s army of minions even further.

Paving the way forward, Trash helped launch a new, reformed Alice into the modern world of Rock. Since then, he has successfully explored new styles and concepts while paying homage to classic Alice. Not many artists can showcase such skills and abilities. However, Alice can and does. It’s brilliant to witness.

That’s it for this week! Be well and catch you next Friday.

Until then, Keep Walkin’ in Faith and Rockin’ with Alice!